murder one's darlings

Possibly first used by Arthur Quiller-Couch (1863–1944) during a series of lectures at the University of Cambridge, later published in book form.[1]

murder one's darlings (third-person singular simple present murders one's darlings, present participle murdering one's darlings, simple past and past participle murdered one's darlings)

1. Alternative form of kill one's darlings.
   • 1916, Arthur Quiller-Couch, “On Style”, in On The Art of Writing‎:

     Whenever you feel an impulse to perpetrate a piece of exceptionally fine writing, obey it — whole-heartedly — and delete it before sending your manuscript to press. Murder your darlings.